Big Changes Are Coming to Disney's Paid Genie+ Service

We just got word that Disney will be changing how its Genie+ service works starting this week!

Related: Disney Extends Park Refurbishment Indefinitely

When visiting Walt Disney World, Disneyland, or any of the Disney Parks and Resorts worldwide, there’s one thing you can count on doing, which is waiting in line. Because of the popularity of the Disney Parks, millions of Guests visit each year, meaning you’ll more than likely have to wait in a few lines to ride and experience your favorite attractions. But after Disney released Genie+ into the Disney Parks, many are starting to wonder if Disney makes a profit off of its long lines.

Related: Certain Disney Guests Can Now Save Hundreds On Vacation

In the past few weeks, Disney World has hit its capacity due to how many Guests have been visiting. In an attempt to combat the crowds, Disney is making some big changes to how its Genie+ service works starting tomorrow. In a tweet from Scott Gustin (@Scott Gustin), the changes were revealed:

NEW: Effective Feb. 25 – Aug. 7 at WDW, Frozen Ever After, Space Mountain, and Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway will move to Genie+ Lightning Lane and no longer be offered as Individual LL. No changes to resort guest early theme park entry for resort guests.

NEW: Effective Feb. 25 – Aug. 7 at WDW, Frozen Ever After, Space Mountain, and Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway will move to Genie+ Lightning Lane and no longer be offered as Individual LL.

No changes to resort guest early theme park entry for resort guests. pic.twitter.com/Y4wxphpG1J

— Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) February 24, 2022

Scott Gustin went on to clarify:

Note: Expedition Everest is closed for refurbishment through at least April 30. Whenever it reopens, Disney will make an update to its status as Individual LL or Genie+ LL.

Note: Expedition Everest is closed for refurbishment through at least April 30. Whenever it reopens, Disney will make an update to its status as Individual LL or Genie+ LL.

— Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) February 24, 2022

According to this information, three super popular attractions are coming to Disney Genie+ and will no longer be offered as an individual Lightning Lane. These attractions are Space Mountain at the Magic Kingdom, Frozen Ever After in EPCOT as well as Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway in Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Disney Genie+ and Lightning Lane were released last year to much criticism and frustration, leaving many Guests feeling confused by the service. In theory, this paid service should enhance Guests’ experience at the Parks, but in practice, it seemed to just be an expensive itinerary planner. These paid services allow Guests to skip lines for a price, meaning Disney now has a financial incentive to have long lines. At Disney World, for $15.00 per day per Guest, you can skip the long standby queue by making a Lightning Lane reservation (new FastPass) and returning at that time.

At each Walt Disney World Park, however, there are two attractions that Guests would need to purchase a separate Lightning Lane ticket for if they wanted to skip those lines, until now. Those attractions are: 

• Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
• Space Mountain
• Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
• Frozen Ever After
• Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
• Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway
• Avatar Flight of Passage
• Expedition Everest

These changes will hopefully help fight the crowds that will continue to pour in for the upcoming holidays like Spring Break as well as Easter weekend and the coming Summer months.

Have you been using Disney Genie+ and Lightning Lane? Let us know what you think in the comments below. 

Let the expert team at Academy Travel help you plan your next magical vacation to Disney World’s water parks, four theme parks — Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios — and the Disney Springs shopping and dining district!